Gamecocks’ Clowney makes consensus All-American list

South Carolina sophomore defensive end Jadeveon Clowney continues to garner postseason accolades. The Rock Hill, S.C. product was named first team All-American by both the Associated Press and ESPN.com on Tuesday.

Clowney, a 6-6, 256-pounder, set new South Carolina standards for sacks in a season (13.0), tackles for loss in a season (21.5) and sacks in a single game (4.5 vs. Clemson) during the 2012 campaign. He has been tabbed as the Hendricks Award winner, which recognizes the nation’s top defensive end, and was a finalist for the Nagurski, Lombardi and Bednarik awards.

In addition to the AP and ESPN.com first-team selections, he has been named first-team All-American by Walter Camp, AFCA, Sporting News, CBSSports.com and FoxSportsNext.com. He was the coaches’ choice as the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, and was a first-team All-SEC selection by both the coaches and the Associated Press.

Clowney is the fourth Gamecock to earn first-team All-America honors in the past four seasons, following Eric Norwood (2009), Alshon Jeffery (2010) and Melvin Ingram (2011).

With four of the five primary All-America teams announced (AP, AFCA, Walter Camp and Sporting News), Clowney has secured the “consensus” All-America tag, joining Gamecock greats George Rogers (1980), Del Wilkes (1984) and Melvin Ingram (2011) with that distinction.